Means eor cutting and behoving the ends oe cans



. n. H. WARD, MEANS FOR CUTTING AND, REMOYING THE ENDS 0F CANS APPLICATION FILED DEC-[911915.

1 ,32 1, 578, v Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 I .INVENTOR I CflavidJfTVaTtZ.

ATTORN EY D. H. WARD.

Patent-ed Nov. 11,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- r j J J f) I I E 6 J INVENTOR ZavizYJz. Wabra.

DAVID I-I. WARD, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

MEANS FOR CUTTING AND REMOVING THE ENDS OF CAN S.

Specification of Letters Iatent,

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application filed. December 19, 1818. Serial No. 267,514.

To all whom alt-may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID E. WARD, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain" new and useful Improvements in Means for Cutting and Removing the Ends of Cans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for cutting and removing the top and bottom ends of the standard five-gallon oil can.

A demand has been made for a machine that will expeditiously and cleanly remove each end of such a can, cutting the end just within the flange of the end seam. That will effect the cut as close as practicable against the sides of the can that the out edges will not interfere with the free outpouring and complete removal of the contents.

The machine by which these requirements have been met is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the can clamping and end cutting means, the nearer guide columns on one side being removed, and certain parts shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan on the line 22 in Fig. 1 showing the clamp in the can holding position. I

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of the cover cutting head.

Fig. 4: is a side elevation of one of the can clamp members.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of the spring clip of the clamp.

In these drawings 2 represents a standard five-gallon oil' can, such as the device is designed to cut and remove the ends of. These cans are delivered one at a time by any suitable means to the place of cutting, along a slide-way 3 of angle iron, and are sustained by such slideway during the clamping and cutting operation.

At the place of cutting these angle irons 3 are supported between vertically disposed angle iron columns 4, which carry also the can clamping means, and form guide-ways for the cutter head.

Each can as delivered to the place of cutting' comes to rest between opposed clamp members '5 which are pivotally mounted one on each side of and parallel to the slideway 3, each on a pin 6 secured adjacent the level of the slideway track 3, between a pair of the columns In shape the clamps turn inward from their pivot pins 6 toward the slideway 3 and upward to bear against each opposite side of the can, and have flanges 7 to engage the adjacent corners of the can when clamped.

These clamp members 5 are normally maintained clear of the sides of a can on the slideway track 3 by springs 8. Adjacent each corner the back of each clamp is shaped, as at 10, to be engaged and forcibly moved into the clamping contact with a can on the shdeway by roller wheels 9 which are rotatably mounted in the lower ends of members 11 downwardly projecting from each corner of a head 12 which is vertically slidable within the group of columns 1, the upper and lower ends of each downwardly pro ecting portion 11 being shaped, as at 17 to engage the inner corner of each column.

Secured to the underside of the central portion of the head 12 is an open knifeholding frame 13 to the inner sides of which are secured the knife blades 14, the four blades conforming in plan to the inner square of the end flange of the can. The cutting edge of each bladeis angled downward to its middle from each end, forming approximately ninety degrees, and'is beveled from the outer to the inner side of the blade, so that when the cutter head is forced down the angular point of each blade will penetrate the can end and the cut is effected from the middle of each side outward to each corner. 1

As the flanges of the can ends are occasionally battered or bent inward, the extreme angular point of each blade is bent inward, as at 15, toward the center of the square of the can, to insure that it will penetrate the can end and will not engage an inwardly bent flange, and as the knives penetrate, the cut gradually approaches the true line of the inner side of the flange, the bevel and rigidity of the/blades rectifying the edges of the flange.

The. end cover of the can is thus cut close along the edge of the flange to each extreme eernenand the cut cover is retained. within.

' tively done; by a crank and connecting rod.

' 2'5 7 andmiaybe withdrawn through the lateral end icover knife, -'conformlng in, shape of -tthe theknife blade'framel3 and is removable through a lateral aperture 16 between the knife .frame and the head 12.

Suitable mechanism is provided for periodically reciprocating the head 12 with clamping rollers and can'cutt1ng' knife blades through a downward movement toclampthe' can and effect thecuttmg of the cover and thereafterto withdraw the knives and release the clamp. This may be efi'ec To hold the can during the withdrawal of the knives 14, which'withdrawal also effects release of the clamp, a spring clip 22 is secured-to the middle of each clamp to project over the upper edge of the can and is turned'upward andbackward, as shown, 7 that it will be engagedand pressed back fully released. V i The removed ends of the cans cut are'reclearof the knife blade as it descends. The inner edge of this clip is vwithdrawn with the clampgclea-r of thecan when theclamp is tained withinthe square of the knife blades, and; as they accumulate arelpushed upward j aperture 16 provided in the knife holding The ends ,bei jg frame. 1 U "i cleanly removed leaves the can in a favorable condition for the further treatment ofrel'imving the other end and flattening the bodyportion of the can across one diagonal for shipment as a return empty. I 1 v H v Having now particularly described my 1n- 'vention, I hereby declarethat what I claim as new" an knife, conforming in. plan to jtheisize and shape'of the can end cutting members,

d desire to be protected by Letters'Patent, is: y v f l. ;A-means for cutting and, removing the end cover of acan, said means comprising a the cutting edge of. the'knife being angularly pointed at diametrically;opposite sides and theouter end of each point turnedinward so aszto penetrate the! cover slightly within the general line of the end seam and means for moving the cutting knife 'endwise in the v axial line of the can; 7

the saidknife being; beveled on i. points being'angularly pointed inwardly so as to penetrate I v V generalline of the end seam, and means for the'cover slightly within the moving the cutting knife endwise in the axial-.lineof thecan.

3. A -means ffor cutting andremovingthe end coverof a-can, said means comprising a knife conforming in plan to the size and i the cutting edge end coverof a can,

withinthe end seam,

a a yertically movable 'knlfe is secured, a track along which the 7 shape of the can end within the end seam,

which the can is delivered to'the place of cutting and by which it is supported thereat, and m'eaiis for holding the can down on the supporting track. 7

ALA means for cutting and removing the end coverlof a can, said means comprising a knife conforming in plan to the size and shape of the can end within the end seam,

of the knife being angularly pointed at diametrically opposite sides and the'outer end of each point turned inward so as to,penetrate the cover slightly within the general line of the end seam, means for moving'the cutting knife endwise in. the axial line of the can and means for clamping the can with its axis corresponding substantially with thatof the movement of the cutting knife. v

5. A means for cutting andremoving the said means comprising a knife conforming in plan to the sizev and shape of the can end within the end seam,the cutting edge of the knife being angularly pointed at diametrically opposite sides and the outer end of each point turned inward so as to penetrate the cover slightly within the general line of the end seam, means for moving the cutting knife endwise in the axial line of the can, a clamp device cooperative with the movement of the knife to clamp thecan during the cutting movement and release it during the withdrawal movement of the knife.

6. A means for cutting and removing the end cover of a can, saidineans comprising a knife conforming in plan to the size and shape of the can end head to which said cans are delivered to and from the place of cutting and on which they are supported thereat, a clampmember pivotally mounted ateach side of the track at the placeof cutting, means for normally holding the clamp members clear of a can on the track, and means on the knife head for moving the clamp members to secure the can as the knife head descends.

p 7. A means for cutting and removing the end cover of a can, said means comprising a knife conforming in plan to the size and shape of the can end within the end seam,

a vertically movable head to which said knife is secured, a track along which the cans are delivered to and from the place of cutting and on which; they are supported within the end seam,

thereat, a clamp member pivotally mounted at each side of the track at the place of cutting, mean for n0rma11y ho1ding the clamp members clear of a can on the track, and means on the knife head for moving the clamp members to secure the can as the knife head deseends,eaeh of said clamping members having means for engaging the upper edge of the can and holding it down on its support as the knife head is ithdrawn and the 1 clamp released.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DAVID H. WARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, I). 0. 

